We’ve all heard the phrase “A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down.” We often think of it in the figurative sense, But what if Mary Poppins was onto something?

Unfortunately, Madison has been a little unwell the past couple of weeks with both a cold and an infection. As any 5 year old might she gets upset and whines every time she has to take medicine. “It’s icky” she says as if to deter me from pouring it.

As a kid I was told that drinking too soon after consuming liquid medication would dilute it rendering it ineffective. As an adult, in healthcare, I have no clue whether or not it’s true. Naturally, I’ve cautioned Madison about it the same as my parents did for me. Of course I would never deny my child fluids, but I’ve encouraged only a small sip or two after medication just to cleanse her palate of the ick.

My mother, the ever creative and awesome person she is, has come up with a rather elegant, if not unorthodox, solution. Perhaps the single greatest parenting hack in my arsenal….A quick little spritz of whipped cream straight from the can! What’s more fun than that?!?! Every kid dreams of being able to do that and now, you’re making it a reality! Not only does it help curb the “ick” it also makes your little one want l to take their medicine.

Maybe a bit silly and certainly not the most balanced part of a diet, whipped cream has seemed to work wonders for me when it comes to getting a sick kid to take their medicine.

What are some of your favorite parenting hacks?